Bears sign Adam Shaheen

Posted by Josh Alper on May 19, 2017, 3:28 PM EST

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The Bears had one of the smaller draft classes in the league this year and they are 80 percent of the way through signing them.

The team announced on Friday that second-round tight end Adam Shaheen has signed his four-year rookie deal. That leaves second overall pick Mitchell Trubisky as the only player they drafted and have not signed yet.

Shaheen played at Division II Ashland University, but caught the eye of scouts because he’s a big man — 6’7″, 278 pounds — who moves well for someone his size. The step up in competition would suggest it could take some time before Shaheen is ready to contribute, but the Bears have expressed confidence that he’ll be able to contribute early in his professional career.

Zach Miller and Dion Sims are on hand at tight end for the Bears in the event Shaheen does need some extra polish before he’s ready to take on life with an NFL offense.

Of the Bears 5 draft picks, this kid and Eddie Jackson have by far the best prospects to make a difference in the their season this year. They’re calling him Baby Gronk and even gave him #87 so we’ll see how it works out.

@firejerry: I am not sure what picks you are referring to but top picks are in the 1st and 2nd round. Leonard Floyd was more dominant than Clowney was in his rookie or 2nd year in his rookie year. Cody Whitehair is not only the Bears’ starting center but one of the better ones in the league. Eddie Goldman is their starting NT. Kevin White was injured twice and can’t be judged on his play yet. Pace has made other solid picks in Howard, Amos, Langford, etc., and this is in only two drafts. Judging Pace with past GM’s isn’t relevant.

Pace is the first GM in 30 years to make a strong push to get a franchise QB. He is making picks and free agent signings that are definitely improving the team. The only reason why they have struggled for so many years is because they haven’t had a franchise QB. Franchise QB’s don’t go 2-11 versus Green Bay and make the playoffs once in 8 seasons.

Pace also has shown to be skilled at finding talent off the UDFA list. Coward and Gentry are players that could easily have been drafted. The Bears wanted Coward with the 6th round pick that they traded.

Things are looking brighter and this season should be a vast improvement.